Panasonic ZS1 vs Sony A580

Below is a in depth overview of the Panasonic ZS1 and Sony A580, one being a Small Sensor Superzoom and the other is a Entry-Level DSLR by manufacturers Panasonic and Sony. There is a huge difference among the image resolutions of the ZS1 (10MP) and A580 (16MP) and the ZS1 (1/2.5") and A580 (APS-C) posses totally different sensor dimensions.

Samsung Releases Faster Versions of EVO MicroSD Cards

The ZS1 was manufactured 24 months before the A580 making them a generation apart from each other. Both the cameras have different body design with the Panasonic ZS1 being a Compact camera and the Sony A580 being a Compact SLR camera.

Before getting right into a full comparison, here is a simple highlight of how the ZS1 grades versus the A580 with respect to portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

Following is a sample of the gallery pictures for Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS1 and Sony Alpha DSLR-A580. The entire galleries are available at Panasonic ZS1 Gallery and Sony A580 Gallery.

For those who are intending to lug around your camera often, you have to take into account its weight and dimensions. The Panasonic ZS1 provides outside measurements of 103mm x 60mm x 33mm (4.1" x 2.4" x 1.3") having a weight of 229 grams (0.50 lbs) and the Sony A580 has dimensions of 137mm x 104mm x 84mm (5.4" x 4.1" x 3.3") and a weight of 599 grams (1.32 lbs).

Contrast the Panasonic ZS1 and Sony A580 in the all new Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Do not forget, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will change depending on the lens you have chosen at that time. Following is a front view size comparison of the ZS1 vs the A580.

Considering size and weight, the portability rating of the ZS1 and A580 is 91 and 64 respectively.

In many cases, it's difficult to see the contrast in sensor measurements simply by looking through a spec sheet. The photograph underneath will provide you a better sense of the sensor sizing in the ZS1 and A580.

As you can see, both of the cameras provide different megapixel count and different sensor measurements. The ZS1 due to its smaller sensor will make getting shallow depth of field harder and the Sony A580 will result in extra detail due to its extra 6MP. Greater resolution will help you crop images more aggressively. The older ZS1 will be disadvantaged when it comes to sensor tech.